How important is full course load?

[TODDS2BE]

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Hi guys!
I was just wondering how significant is to have full course load each year of undergraduate studies. Did anyone got questioned for not taking full course load?

I took 3-4 courses a semester because I was working 25-30 hours a week at a dental office. I was just wondering how does this effect my chances of getting admission.

Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

[beannaithe]

Hi guys!
I was just wondering how significant is to have full course load each year of undergraduate studies. Did anyone got questioned for not taking full course load?

I took 3-4 courses a semester because I was working 25-30 hours a week at a dental office. I was just wondering how does this effect my chances of getting admission.

Thanks in advance for all replies.

I think as long as you get a good grade, you should be just fine. 🙂

 

[RockstarDMD]

I think as long as you get a good grade, you should be just fine. 🙂

It should not matter full course load or not, it still requires intelligence to get good grades.

 

[ItsGavinC]

It should not matter full course load or not, it still requires intelligence to get good grades.

But less effort to get good grades in 2 courses versus good grades in 8 courses.

Listen, to the OP, it's fine to have a low course load every now and then, but I would really strive to up the course load if at all possible. Lots of people work and still carry a full course load. I worked 40 hours a week (M-F from 2-10:30 pm) and still carried a full course load of 19+ credit hours (5-6+ classes) for a number of semesters.

It's not ideal but it's doable. Things don't get easier in dental school. Prove it to yourself and the admissions committees that you can handle tons of information.

 

[45540]

schools like to see 15-16 hours a semester and 3-4 science courses per semester. If you can handle that, they figure you'll be able to handle the courses they'll throw your way.

 

[IcemanDDS]

Yea I'm taking Micro, Pathophys, and Bio I ( ) this summer. That's all I could fit in a summer semester. With labs its equivalent to 5 classes timewise.

 

[mvs04]

I took full loads every quarter except for my last (2 classes) and a random quarter in between (6 units! 1 dance class and an econ class)....

while I did get asked at my interviews regarding my class selection... i didn't get directly asked on those 2 quarters...

 

[grinningrice]

My VERY asian parents yelled at me and didn't allow me to take less than 17 hours a semester because I would be wasting their money. Afterall they would be paying the same for 12 hours versus 26 hours;-). Another reason I had heavy coursloads every semester was because it proved to the admissions that I could handle the work. If you could handle a heavy schedule, get good grades, and still have time for extracurrics, you would be golden for dental school.

 

[ianwright]

Hi guys!
I was just wondering how significant is to have full course load each year of undergraduate studies. Did anyone got questioned for not taking full course load?

I took 3-4 courses a semester because I was working 25-30 hours a week at a dental office. I was just wondering how does this effect my chances of getting admission.

Thanks in advance for all replies.

1) It's all about what you can handle - forget everyone else and what they think is right for you. The idea is that you want to maximize you potential - you do this by setting the highest number of credits for a particular semester.

2) Even more important than the number of credits (quantitative factor) you are taking is the type of courses (qualitative factor) you are taking.

A lot of students have GPA's in the 3.7 - 4.0 range (probably on a dance degree)

Someone with a biophysics or biochemistry or biology or elementary chemical degree with a gpa of 3.2-3.4 is considered great - (considering the difficulty of courses)

3) The third factor is how many of these tougher courses you are taking per semester. I would say four is over doing it. 3 seems to be average - (for pre-dental students!). 3 of these plus 1 or 2 side kick classes should impress the addmissions commitee if you can pull A's and B's (more A's than B's)

Don't forget - You sign up for classes - You decide what's best for you

Good Luck!
🙂

 

[Sprgrover]

But less effort to get good grades in 2 courses versus good grades in 8 courses.

Listen, to the OP, it's fine to have a low course load every now and then, but I would really strive to up the course load if at all possible. Lots of people work and still carry a full course load. I worked 40 hours a week (M-F from 2-10:30 pm) and still carried a full course load of 19+ credit hours (5-6+ classes) for a number of semesters.

It's not ideal but it's doable. Things don't get easier in dental school. Prove it to yourself and the admissions committees that you can handle tons of information.

I agree.

 

[Mz Shaikh]

I am planning on taking organic chem over the fall ( that is if i pass chem I and II) should I take General Bio as well. I've heard that organic is reeeeeeallllllyyyy hhhhhhaaaaarrrrddddd. ( plus I have to work) So far the plan is...

Summer session 1= Chem I
Summer session 2 = Chem II
Fall 06 = Organic I and General Bio I
Spring 06 = Organic II and General Bio II
prepare for DAT and take Physics I, II in the summer

Any thoughts? 😕

 

[Mz Shaikh]

because I was working 25-30 hours a week at a dental office.

Were you a Dental assistant? What is your undergrad major?

 

[IWuvTeef]

OP:

I took on average 12 hrs each semester throughout my college career. I worked a job of 10-20 hrs per week the first 3 yrs. I was able to take 12ish hrs because I would take 6-9 hrs during the summer time.

I only took the classes required by my major and any dental pre-reqs. I'm paying for my education so I saw no point in dishing out more money just so I could take extra classes to total 15+ hrs per semester.

Some of the classes I took were 2 credit science labs where I would have to show up 2 times/week for 3 hours each session. On top of that and my other courses, I had to do outside work for each lab class which could take an additional 3-4 hrs of work (lab write ups, papers, etc.). Just because something is 2 credits doesn't necessarily mean it's an easy course.

I know dental school is not going to be a walk in the park and that I will be taking a billion credit hrs each semester. I am confident I will do fine and no admission commitees questioned my transcript.

Cheers. 😀